I'm up at 3:24am, listening to a Paul Desmond album
with strings, so this seems perfect for me to reply.
--- "MANUEL MARTINEZ, FOR RICK MARTINEZ"
<djessential@msn.com> wrote:
> In the last 6 months, Music seems to be going
> negative and "straight to hell" (so to speak) on a
> international level. I mean, most bands like as far
> as new rock music (Linkin Park, Disturbed, Cold,
> Coal Chamber, Godsmack,etc.) are so negative and
> depressing.
As pop as they may be, I kinda like Linkin Park. Mr.
Hahn is not exactly doing anything new in the
production department, but as hard-sounding as their
music can be, they are singing about relationships,
and falling in and out of love. Put Justin Timberlake
in the band as vocalist, and I'm sure a lot of people
wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Everybody
else is just a bunch of copycats, no more than "wow,
let's name ourselves with a common everyday name, and
let's see how many times we can pierces ourselves and
tattoo our flesh." As a metalhead myself for most of
the 1980's, it's all been done before.
> Nothing like the thinking man's, social-
> political new wave/ punk bands (The Clash, Gang of
> Four, Dead Kennedys, Specials, Talking Heads) when I
> was a pre-teen at 12, getting into music for the
> first time. I know this is an off- topic subject,
> but bare with me. Last night, I was watching some
> local video show, and I saw one of the hideoused new
> metal bands called Slipknot. Tuneless, Negative,
> Industrial, Dark Metal, with no positive vibes in
> sight. A stage show (it was a live video) with
> banners of the satanic goat pentagram and 666 on
> stage. Tons of kids, shouting and praising the
> stage. It made me sick. Now, I'm sounding like an
> old man (I'm only 33) ranting on today's music. But
> this stuff is getting worse.
I'll be 32 in October, but I'm actually feeling
Slipknot a bit. I think I saw the same video you did,
and I want to buy the album. It's so obnoxious it's
great, and there is one hell of a groove that a lot of
heavy bands do not have. System Of A Down are great,
because they remind me a lot of Anthrax, who had more
punk roots than Metallica (who were about the NWOBHM).
Let's keep in mind now, this is heavy metal. Some
groups may have a bit of hip-hop in it, some might
have goofy masks, but heavy metal has rarely been
about being smart. Was there the IDM equivalent of
heavy metal? Oh sure, Dio and Iron Maiden were all
about ancient mariners and holy divers, but then there
was Poison and Britny Fox.
> In my day there was
> hardcore punk like Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Bad
> brains, and Metal like Slayer, Metallica, and
> Megadeth.
I clearly remember being in high school when thrash
and speed metal was king, I once played S.O.D.'s album
every single day for almost two years. I also
remember my uncle wondering why can't music be like
Black Sabbath, Santana, or the Doobie Brothers. Or
Rush. Slayer at times were the Anticon of speed
metal, anyone remember the lyrics of "Necrophobic"?
Slayer was satanic and evil, but I loved them. When I
saw them live, fricken Dave Lombardo amplified his
bass drums, and I was upfront. You want hell on
earth, go sit in front of a Slayer concert as the
drums beat in your chest for two hours.
> Now, we have masked sickos like Slipknot
> infecting our lil' brothers & sisters. Rap, like
> Cash Money allstars, Three 6 Mafia, St. Lunatics, Ja
> Rule, Jay-Z, and Hell, Eminem have brought their
> materlialistic, negative, hoochie/ ho- pimpin', and
> disrespcting lyrics, to suburban and rural areas,
> messing with all types of kids.
I agree here too. There was a special on M2 (I
believe) and they were showing the hip-hop from the
late 80's/early 90's, the "golden era" if you will.
They were showing everyone from the Native Tongue, and
I can always listen to this era with pride. "Looking
At The Front Door", "They Reminisce Over You
(T.R.O.Y.)", "Punks Jump Up To Get Beatdown", those
are classics. I just remember seeing Master P's "Ice
Cream Man" on BET with the wackest video and the most
basic sounding music I've heard since Beastie Boys'
"Girls", and I asked myself "what is this?"
Then there's that new song with the hook "my lips, my
back, lick my pussy and my crack". A clean version is
on the DARK ANGEL soundtrack, but most people aren't
going to have that.
The "good" music might not get exposure on MTV, BET,
or M2, but it might be on VH-1 Soul or MTV Jams. I do
hope that the new breed of music fans to come will be
able to appreciate what came before. I really had
hope for the Nappy Roots until I heard them rap about
"them Hawaiian bitches".
> I'm not saynig the younger generation is doomed, but
> alot of music is becoming crap. And the good stuff
> is to hard to find for your average teenager. If you
> no one, give them a copy of your latest broken beat,
> nu- jazz/ soul, underground hip hop, deep house and
> deeper drum & bass cd.... and see if they like it.
Ten years ago, music like this would have been hard to
obtain. But with all the magazines out there, and
with faster internet connections, the "good stuff" is
very accessible, but they have to be informed what is
good. Of course, if you keep on getting fake-ass Puff
Daddy remixes where all he talks about is how down and
out he is with his former girlfriend, that is all
people will know. It's great when I can turn on the
TV and see Les Nubians. I'm waiting for someone to
play a Monday Michiru video. I wouldn't mind seeing
and hearing more from Ivana Santilli.
I also think MTV and M2 need to open and widen their
programming, so that Friday isn't just club night, and
Sunday isn't just 120 Minutes.
> It's really sad to see blankless looks from these
> zombified and hellbent youth. Now, i'm not an ultra
> religous type, just a guy with PURE SOUL and a
> positive outlook. I wanna see the younger cats &
> kittens get a dose of REAL SOUL MUSIC!!!!!!!!
Music will change, and music comes and goes. I do
have hope for the new album by Sharon Jones & The Dap
Kings on Daptone. Daptone is getting major
distribution (through Caroline, if I'm not mistaken)
and their album was reviewed in Entertainment Weekly.
This is a deep funk album. Sharon Jones has a single
out, her funk cover of Janet Jackson's "What Have You
Done For Me Lately", which is incredible, sounds like
it was written in 1967. Not sure if Daptone plans to
do a video, but to be able to expose that version to a
new generation of people who have no idea what good
funk or soul is, it would be awesome.
I'm sick and tired of seeing Ashanti. She will sell
millions, while Me'Shell NdegeOcello will barely sell
double lead.
p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book
john-book.com
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